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DREAM
DREAM is a Mixed martial arts organization promoted by Fighting and Entertainment Group and co-produced with the former PRIDE executives from Dream Stage Entertainment. It is the sister promotion of K-1 kick boxing. DREAM replaced FEG's previous-run mixed martial arts fight series, HERO'S. The series retains many of the stylistic flourishes and personnel from PRIDE FC broadcasts, including fight introducer Lenne Hardt. In America, the promotion is aired on Mark Cuban's HDNet. History Pride FC's buyout and Yarennoka! After the Zuffa buyout of PRIDE FC, the former Dream Stage Entertainment executives put on a collaborative New Year's Eve mixed martial arts show with Shooto, M-1 Global, and the Fighting and Entertainment Group, called Yarennoka!. This show was intended to be a farewell show of PRIDE. However, due to its success and further petitioning by Japanese MMA fans, the FEG and the former DSE staff decided to combine their efforts and form a new Japanese promotion. HERO's dissolution and DREAM's emergence Their new promotion was confirmed on February 13, 2008 along with HERO's dissolution. All of HERO's' fighters were confirmed (such as HERO's champions Norifumi “Kid” Yamamoto, Yoshihiro Akiyama and JZ Calvan) to be part of the new promotion along with the additions of Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipović, Shinya Aoki, Kazushi Sakuraba, Mitsuhiro Ishida, and Hayato “Mach” Sakurai.. Another notable announcement was DREAM's partnership with M-1 Global, who confirmed that they would allow the last Heavyweight Champion of PRIDE FC (and the winner of the 2004 Heavyweight Grand Prix), Fedor Emelianenko, to fight in their events (although Emelianenko's future with the company became unclear after Fedor later parted way with M-1 Global). Emelianenko was present at the DREAM press conference to promote the alliance between the two shows. Partnership with HDNet On May 2 2008 DREAM aired for the first time in the United States with a repeat of DREAM.1 on HDNet. A repeat of DREAM.2 was aired the following day, while DREAM.3 was aired live on May 11. All future DREAM events will be airing on HDNet as a part of the network's HDNet Fights series. Partnership with EliteXC On May 10 2008 DREAM announced a working partnership with US promotion EliteXC. The two groups intend to share fighters (Eddie Alvarez and Nick Diaz have both already participated in DREAM events) and eventually co-promote shows. Rules Weight classes DREAM has 6 weight classes. Unlike HERO's, each weight class will have a champion with a defendable title. * 67kg/145lb - Featherweight * 70kg/154lb - Lightweight * 76kg/168lb - Welterweight * 84kg/185lb - Middleweight * 93kg/205lb - Light Heavyweight * +93.1kg/+205lb - Heavyweight Round length * 10 Minute First Round * 5 Minute Second Round Judging * Fights will be judged in their entirety by three judges, not on a round by round 10-point must basis (more common to North American promotions). * A winner will always be declared, draws are not possible. Fouls and violations * Stomps and soccer kicks to the head of a grounded opponent are not allowed (unless both fighters are on the ground), but they are allowed to the rest of the body. * Elbows to the head are not allowed (neither in standing or ground position). * If there is a 15 kg or more weight difference between the fighters, knees to the head of a grounded opponent are not allowed. * Ground position in DREAM means a three point position (both feet and one hand). If a fighter has, for example, both knees and one hand on the floor facing the mat, then no kicks to the head are allowed. Tournament substitutions * In case of a "No Contest" or injury, the fighter who can continue will go through to the next round, if neither fighter is able to continue the promoter will choose a fighter to go through. Notable Fighters Featherweights *Chase Beebe *Joe Warren *Abel Cullum *Norifumi "KID" Yamamoto *Hideo Tokoro *Masakazu Imanari *Yoshiro Maeda *Babiano Fernandes (The current DREAM featherweight champion) Lightweights *Eddie Alvarez *Joachim Hansen *Shinya Aoki (The current DREAM lightweight champion) *Mitsuhiro Ishida *Katsuhiko Nagata *Katsunori Kikuno *Katsunori Kikuno *Tatsuya Kawajiri *Gesias Calvancante *Vitor Ribeiro *Andre Amade *Luiz Firmino Welterweights *Jason High *Marius Zaromskis (The current DREAM welterweight champion) *Hayato "Mach" Sakurai *André Galvão *Jesse Taylor Middleweights *Melvin Manhoef *Paulo Filho *Kiyoshi Tamura *Kazushi Sakuraba *Zelg Galesic *Jason Miller *Andrews Nakahara *Dong Sik Yoon *Minowaman Light heavyweights *Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou *Gegard Mousasi (The current DREAM middleweight champions and current Strikeforce Light Heavyweight champion) Heavyweight *Alistair Overeem *Sergei Kharitonov *Jeff Monson *Ralek Gracie Super Heavyweights *Mark Hunt *Hong Man Choi *Bob Sapp Events Category:DREAM Category:Asian promotions Category:Promotions and organizations Category:Defunct promotions